How can an adopted person find out their nationality and medical history?

Question:

How can an adopted person find out their nationality and medical history?

I was adopted as an infant at a time when all adoptions were "closed." As a mother, I feel it is important to know what my roots are and what medical conditions I could pass on to my kids. Does anyone know how I can get the information I need?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: NATIONALITY
It is probably safe to say that you are an American citizen since I am assuming that you were adopted by Americans; and I think that if you were adopted internationally you would know because your birth certificate would show it.

MEDICAL HISTORY
As for medical history you might need to actually find your birth-family to get access to that.

Then again, there should be some way for you to get medical tests done to find out what genetic diseases that you could possibly pass down to your children.

I know a couple who had this done after their second pregnancy ended in miscarriage and the child had a plethora of birth defects. They learned from the tests that they were both carriers for certain genetic disorders.

This is more common in some ethnic groups than others. Couples of Eastern European and Askhenazi Jewish descent are recommended to be tested for the mutated gene that causes Tay-Sachs disease and Amish children are at risk for inherited metabolic disorders because of high intermarriage in their communities.

Parents are encouraged to look into their family history to search for a pattern of certain hereditary diseases; but since your family history has been kept from you, contacting a genetic counselor could be helpful. Try the National Society of Genetic Counselors for more info (link below).

ADOPTION RECORDS
This can be complicated since your adoption was closed. You should know however that some states that had closed adoptions records when you were born may have opened them since then. Alabama is one example. Many people think that it is unfair that just because someone was adopted that they have less rights that other citizens as far as access to their own parents identities and pertinent medical information.

You may want to contact an advocacy group such as Bastard Nation. In addition to information on how to lobby on behalf of equal rights for adoptees, you can also find out exactly what the laws are that pertain to you and your adoption information.

ETHNICITY
To find your ethnicity you could try AncestryByDNA which offers at least two DNA tests to help you narrow down your family's origins.

For the first test you can determine the continent where you have the most genetically in common with the inhabitants. From there you can order a discounted add-on test which can help you to determine more about what part of the continent/which ethnic groups there you share DNA in common.

For example, if the first test showed you were at least 85% European you could narrow it down to find out what parts of Europe your ancestors came from (EuroDNA kit). If you showed more than 15% Sub-Saharan African or Native American you could find out more about the ethnic groups or tribal identities of your ancestors.

It's pricey -- about $219.00 for the first test; but extremely interesting.